Stovetop Mushroom Rice

Mushrooms are such obliging little vegetables.

Eager to fit in, they happily take on any flavoring you like, and deliver both creaminess and a meaty bite, with virtually no calories.

I throw a couple of little baskets into my shopping cart at the start of every week, knowing they're an instant ticket to a memorable meal, and I recommend you do the same.

This silken Stovetop Mushroom Rice is one of my absolute favorite ways of making the most of my mushroom stash, and makes an ideal side dish, yet is hearty enough to be served by itself as a light meal.

Put it to the test without delay...it undoubtedly adds true magic to mushrooms.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 2 baskets mushrooms, sliced

• 2 tsp crushed garlic

• 1 large onion, finely diced

• 2 cups uncooked basmati rice

• 4 1/4 cups parve chicken stock

• 1 cup diced spring onion

Method:

1. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large pot, add half the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until deeply golden. Season well, then remove from pot and set aside.

2. Add remaining olive oil to pot. Add onion and garlic, cook for about a minute until aromatic.

3. Add remaining raw mushrooms and cook a further 5 minutes until soft.

4. Add rice and a little of the chicken stock. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot to lift any caramelized bits, then add remaining stock. Bring to a boil.

5. Cover pot with a lid and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes with lid on.

6. Add reserved cooked mushrooms and spring onions, then stir through before replacing lid and allowing to stand a further 15 minutes to swell and soften further.

7. Fluff grains through with a fork and serve.

Serves 6 as a generous side dish.

Cook's Notes:

This delicious rice dish is especially wonderful with lemony chicken or fish.

It makes a great light meal for vegans and vegetarians and cooking it using this method makes the rice particularly creamy.

Don't skimp on the quantity of mushrooms used because this is where the magic comes from. I like using one basket of white mushrooms and one of brown portobello mushrooms for maximum flavor.